After giving Nova a few more tasks, I decided to leave the alternate dimension for now. It's probably not a good idea to reveal any of this just yet.
When I returned to my room, I realized it was already morning. After eating breakfast, I left with Saito and headed to the Adventurer's Guild.
We took on a quest to subjugate some undead."Wait... there are undead in this world?" I asked.
Saito nodded. "Yeah, sometimes undead appear in certain mana zones. When those zones become unstable, they can affect dead bodies—both human and monster. Some monsters even mutate because of it."
"Interesting," I muttered. "And according to the Church and the nobles, I guess this is all the demons' fault?"
Saito sighed. "That's just an excuse. They use it as a reason to wage war and take over territory. But King Belfort doesn't just bow to those demands. He hasn't declared war like some nobles wanted."
As we walked, I asked another question."Why are there only humans in the Belfort Kingdom?"
Saito looked a bit uncomfortable. "Well... people here kind of look down on other races. The royal family may not be openly racist, but they're not exactly friendly either. And though slavery is banned in most nations, there are still places where it's allowed—some even enslave their own citizens. Compared to that, Belfort is at least better. If someone's caught keeping slaves here, they're sentenced to life in prison."
"Hmm... I see," I said. "By the way, what happened to your plan about building your own nation?"
Saito paused. "Actually... do you think a nation can have two kings?"
"You mean like a co-monarchy?"
"Co-monarchy? What's that?" he asked.
"It's a system where two monarchs rule over the same territory. They share power equally, or at least have clearly defined roles."
"Oh... yeah, that's what I meant," Saito said, scratching his head. "I was thinking... maybe we could do that in the nation we'll build someday."
"Huh?" I blinked. "Why would you want to do that?"
"Well... I just had a feeling I wouldn't be able to do it without you," he said, smiling. "I can help lead it, but I don't think I could handle everything alone."
I was a bit surprised, but before we could discuss it further, we arrived at the monster hunting site.
There were a few skeletons wandering around."Wait," I asked, "what proof do we need to bring back for the quest?"
"Oh, right," Saito said. "For skeletons, you need to retrieve the mana stone—it's usually inside the skull. For zombies, it's either in the heart area or the head. As for mutated undead monsters, the proof is usually their corrupted heart."
There were about 37 undead in total, including a few mutated ones.
"Well, this should be easy," I said. "Fireball."
BOOM!A massive explosion roared out as my fireball incinerated the entire group—and a good portion of the surrounding forest.
Saito's eyes widened. "W-Wait, what the hell was that?! That fireball wiped out everything!"
"Hmm... maybe it's because of those mana zones you mentioned before," I replied casually. "They might've amplified the spell."
"Amplified?! That thing looked like a small meteor!" he shouted.
Still, the job was done. We teleported back to the guild and received our rewards.
While we walked back, I asked Saito about potions."Oh, those?" he said. "Yuri mentioned them once. Potions are relics now. The knowledge to make them has mostly been lost. You can sometimes find them in ancient dungeons, but it's rare."
"Isn't there anyone who can still make them?"
"There are some people who can enchant weapons, and there are Saints, too. But from what Yuki told me, the current Saint doesn't have any powers. She's a 'Saint' in name only—a sacrificial pawn."
"Sacrificial pawn?" I asked. "What do you mean?"
"Well... it's said that when the Saint turns 18, she must offer her life to God for the sake of the world. But no one has ever actually seen that happen. The current Saint is 15, I think. The one who holds all the real power in the Church is the Pope."
I frowned. "If I can, I want to stop that system. I don't believe a real god would demand a life like that. Maybe the Church is lying... or maybe they just want to get rid of the Saint for their own reasons."
Later that evening, after returning from the guild, I went back into my alternate dimension.
With the new information I had gathered, I asked Nova to dispatch stealth spy drones across the continent. Their mission: to gather intelligence on every nation, kingdom, and power structure in this world.
Thanks to the dimension's connection to my mind realm, Nova could analyze the data and begin long-term planning to prepare for any future threats—or opportunities.
After returning to my alternate dimension, I began working on the next phase: initial intelligence gathering units.
To do that, I started developing humanoid spy robots—machines that looked almost identical to real humans. They'd blend in perfectly in any kingdom, town, or even battlefield. But before making them, I needed to build the foundation.
Using Creation Magic, I formed a lightweight, durable frame. It looked human, with flexible joints and synthetic muscles made from magically enhanced fibers. These fibers could stretch, contract, and move just like real muscles, but were powered by mana instead of biology.
I conjured a layer of organic-like synthetic skin—soft, warm, and indistinguishable from a real person's. I used minor illusion magic to make small, randomized changes to their appearance so no two looked exactly alike. For hair, I created strands using threadlike mana-infused materials that could even grow and change color on command.
Each robot was equipped with a small mana core—a magical engine, essentially—that powered all their functions. It absorbed ambient mana from the surroundings and redistributed it to various parts of the body: movement, sensors, communication, and basic spellcasting.
I copied a basic AI core from Nova and simplified it for fieldwork. These weren't full-thinking minds like Nova but had high adaptability and fast learning algorithms. They could mimic speech, understand commands, and even act emotionally if needed.
Finally, I enchanted the outer layer with stealth magic—not full invisibility, but advanced concealment spells that reduced noise, suppressed presence, and made them hard to detect with mana sensors.
Once the first one was complete, I tested it. It walked, spoke, and behaved like a normal human. Success.
But then I thought—why stop at spies?
I decided to build different types of humanoid robots, each with their own role. Here's the list:
1. Spies
Purpose: Infiltration, surveillance, intelligence gathering.
Features: High stealth, voice-mimicry, fast learning, hacking spells, shadow movement.
Magic: Illusion and shadow-based spells.
2. Adventurer Units
Purpose: Participate in quests, earn money, build reputation.
Features: Combat AI, adaptive tactics, skill libraries from my mind realm.
Magic: Fire, wind, sword-enhancement magic.
Bonus: They can collect materials or rare drops for me.
3. Merchant Units
Purpose: Sell and buy goods, manipulate markets, gather financial data.
Features: Economic calculation core, negotiation module, charm protocol.
Magic: Light enchantments for charisma, storage magic to carry goods.
4. Assassin Units
Purpose: Silent takedowns, sabotage, targeted elimination.
Features: Ultra-stealth body, toxin deployment system, silent movement enchantments.
Magic: Shadow step, paralyze curses, silence zones.
5. Guard Units
Purpose: Protect other units, locations, or act as escorts.
Features: High defense alloys, shield runes, group coordination AI.
Magic: Barrier spells, reinforcement magic, anti-magic zones.
Each of these units would operate under my direct control. I could send commands mentally through the mind realm link, or they could operate autonomously using Nova's sub-AI networks.
To make them more integrated with the world, I also gave each robot the ability to earn money. For example, adventurer and merchant units could bring in extra income. I set up a system where they'd keep 85% of their earnings to reinvest, repair themselves, or upgrade their gear, while I'd take 15% as a fee. Efficient and self-sustaining.
With all of this in motion, I realized I needed a dedicated production branch to keep up.
So, I built an Automated Humanoid Robotics Division inside the dimension.
It had:
Design Chambers – Where blueprints were refined using AI suggestions and mind realm data.
Mana-Forging Furnaces – Where cores, frames, and magical circuits were built using pure Creation Magic.
Assembly Halls – Where robotic limbs, organs, and systems were pieced together by precision worker drones.
Enchantment Stations – Where the units were blessed with magic, stealth, and enhancements.
Behavioral Sync Rooms – Where they received behavior training simulations using compressed time loops.
Each unit also had a Teleportation Rune embedded in their bodies. At any time, if damaged or needing maintenance, they could instantly teleport back to this dimension for repairs, upgrades, or recharging.
Each would be embedded in various cities and regions across the world.
With this system, I wouldn't just be watching the world—I'd be part of it from the shadows, shaping economies, reading politics, and influencing events without ever revealing myself.
And this... was just the beginning.
While I had finished creating humanoid robot units for infiltration, combat, trade, and protection, I realized something was missing.
I needed aerial and mobile support—drones.
They would be my eyes in the sky, my ears on the ground, and my scanners in the deep. So, I returned to my alternate dimension and began crafting a new class of machines that could assist the humanoids and work independently in areas too dangerous or remote.
I categorized the drones into different classes based on their function:
Reconnaissance Drones
Mapping Drones
Resource Scanners
Combat Support Drones
Communication Relays
Atmospheric Survey Drones
Each type had different forms—some small and bird-like, others more insectoid, and a few larger, hawk-sized aerial units.
Using Creation Magic, I molded lightweight, magically reinforced alloys—flexible yet sturdy enough to endure harsh weather and attack. For stealth, I used mana-cloaking materials from ancient blueprints in my mind realm.
Each drone had a mini mana battery, drawn from my own mana reserves, giving them near-endless operation time. They absorbed ambient mana and returned when depleted.
I used enchanted crystal lenses for multi-spectrum vision:
Normal light
Night vision
Thermal
Mana detection
Illusion filter
Nova created sub-AI units for each drone, giving them tactical awareness and independent pathing, while all data was synced in real-time to my mind realm.
Depending on the role, each drone carried tools like:
Cartography modules for 3D mapping.
Mineral sensors for scanning underground ores.
Listening enchantments for eavesdropping.
Camouflage cloaks for silent flight.
Self-defense glyphs (limited use).
Here are the drone models I created and deployed into the world:
1. Recon Drones
Size: Bird or insect-like.
Role: Surveillance, stealth scouting.
Features: Soundless flight, long-range communication, cloaking magic.
2. Mapping Drones
Size: Medium hawk-like.
Role: Create real-time 3D maps of towns, terrain, ruins, dungeons.
Features: Cartographic AI, terrain-scan spells, illusion detection.
3. Resource Scanner Drones
Size: Spider or snake-like.
Role: Scan mountains, caves, forests for herbs, ores, water, magic beasts.
Features: Mana-pulse radar, material scanners, auto-tagging runes.
4. Combat Support Drones
Size: Medium disc or small humanoid.
Role: Assist adventurer units in battle.
Features: Barrier magic, healing mist, suppressive fire (magic bolts), decoys.
5. Atmospheric Drones
Size: Floating orb.
Role: Monitor climate, air magic density, detect unnatural events.
Features: Weather-magic sensors, storm barrier alerts, mana zone tracking.
6. Communication Relay Drones
Size: Small floating cubes.
Role: Relay data between humanoid robots, drones, and me through Nova.
Features: Magical signal boosting, encrypted transmission, hidden anchors.
All humanoid and drone units had access to teleportation runes linked to my dimension. Whenever they needed repair, refueling, or reconfiguration, they could return instantly—no fuss, no risk.
And to ensure everything ran smoothly, I built a Drone Management Tower and a Humanoid Control Hub inside the dimension. Both were monitored by Nova and sub-AI overseers.
With these new additions, I now had:
A full spy network.
A self-sustaining economy branch.
A world-wide scouting and mapping team.
A combat-ready rapid response force.
I had no nation, no borders, no capital… but I was quietly becoming a ghost empire, spreading across the world unnoticed.
And I wasn't even close to finished.
I deployed everything I had just created and released them into the real world. As I walked, I suddenly remembered something—I still hadn't returned the money to Saito that he used to buy the katana and other essential supplies.
I began searching for him, but then I ran into Zoya, who informed me of something troubling. Saito had reported a slave abduction case—the slave's owner was a Count of Belfort. Apparently, the Count had managed to hide the evidence, but the King issued him a warning.
This could become problematic in the future. Based on my experience, most nobles won't let something like this slide so easily. So, as a precaution, I assigned some shadow guards for everyone's protection.
After that, I finally met up with Saito and handed the money back to him.
"There's no need for this. You didn't have to return it," he said.
"Yeah, but I would've felt uncomfortable if I didn't," I replied.
Just then, we noticed a carriage arriving nearby. It was Princess Seyra, accompanied by Celestine and Princess Yuri. Apparently, they had something important to discuss with us.
We all went inside the mansion.
"Oh, so this is about that Count, huh?" I asked.
"Yes," Seyra replied. "He may try to harm Saito, and we can't let him find out about Princess Yuri's engagement to him."
"Wait a minute," I interrupted. "If that's what you were worried about, then why did you all arrive in carriages clearly marked with the royal family's crest? What if someone saw them?"
"W-w-we made a slight mistake…" Seyra stammered.
"Slight mistake? That's not a mistake—that's a blunder," I sighed. "Couldn't you have just walked over casually?"
"We could've done that… but… sorry," Princess Seyra mumbled. "It's not like this one incident means much. And even if they do find out about our visit, we'll just say we wanted to hire you as adventurers."
"You say that," I replied, raising an eyebrow, "but… do you always come here like this? Casually? With carriages marked by the royal crest?"
"Not every time," Celestine answered.
"So you do come here often?" I asked.
From their reactions, I could tell it had happened more than once.
"Well… Princess Yuri practically lives here," Zoya muttered. "But sometimes she does arrive in a carriage—while she's not acting as an adventurer."
"Wait, Princess Yuri is an adventurer?" I asked, confused.
"Yes," Mili nodded. "She's a Yellow Rank right now."
"Hmmm… Ryo, is there a way to fix that?" Seyra asked curiously.
"Maybeee—"
Before I could finish, a tiny voice suddenly echoed through the room.
"Daddyyyyyyyy~!"
A small girl dashed toward me and jumped into my arms, hugging me tightly.
"Wait… you have a daughter?!" Princess Seyra screamed. "You're married?!"
She looked so shocked it was like her soul left her body.
"No! I'm not married!" I shouted. "And I'm only 17, you know!"
"Well… people in this world do tend to have kids around that age," Celestine said, glancing away.
I looked down at the little girl clinging to me. She was hugging me like her life depended on it.
But... something felt off.
She looked like she was about three years old, but I clearly remembered that I hadn't created any humanoid bots like this.
Then what was she?
She didn't seem human… and yet—she had my mana signature all over her.
"Ryo…" Princess Seyra narrowed her eyes. "Explain. Now."
"Huh? Why should I?" I shrugged.
"You idiot!" Saito snapped. "Have you seriously not noticed what's going on?"
I blinked.
Princess Yuri, Celestine, Zoya, Mili, and Silf were all glaring at me. Hard.
"Noticed what?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"Nothing…"
Then the little girl looked up at me, her eyes teary.
"Daddy… are you saying I'm not your daughter?" she asked, lips trembling. "That… makes me sad…"
Tears welled up in her eyes—and strangely, Princess Seyra also looked like she was about to cry.
"Everybody calm down and take a seat first," Saito said, rubbing his temples.
We all did as he suggested, though the little girl sat right on my lap, clinging to me tightly like a tiny koala.
Saito folded his arms. "Ryo. Now explain yourself. Who is the mother of your daughter?"
"Wait—I never said she's my daughter!" I protested. "Just because I know some child doesn't mean I'm her father."
"D-Daddy said I'm not his daughter…" the girl whimpered.
"Wahhhhhh!"
And then she burst into tears.
"W-Wait! Hey, calm down! I didn't mean it like that!" I panicked, trying to calm her down. "Okay, okay—I'm your father, alright? Just stop crying, please!"
"Daddy is a meanie!" she sobbed.
"So now you are accepting it?" Princess Seyra growled.
"Princess Seyra, please calm down and listen to him first," Saito said, trying to defuse the situation again.
She sat down, but her intense glare was practically telling me, "Explain everything now or you're dead."
Seeing no way out, I sighed. "Alright. Let me talk. Hear me out completely before asking anything."
Then, I lifted my hand and summoned Nova from the alternate dimension.
A glowing, floating blue hologram appeared in the air beside me. His form was translucent, almost ghostly. Nova's physical body couldn't be touched by anyone but me—and even then, he was nearly indestructible.
"Yes, Master? You called?" Nova asked in his usual calm voice.
"Yes, Nova," I nodded. "Can you explain… the thing sitting on my lap right now?"
Nova turned slightly toward the girl and answered, "She is a newly formed humanoid unit. While experimenting, some AI sub-units attempted to create a lifeform that closely resembles humans. The unit's biological composition is 89% human."
"Wait," I interrupted, "You're saying the AI accidentally made her?"
"Yes, Master," Nova said. "I halted further construction once I discovered the anomaly, but by that time, she had already reached full formation. She is not connected to any systems or networks due to being incomplete. I had to intervene manually. Because of that, we cannot track or directly control her like other units."
"Hold on—hold on…" I raised a hand. "Why does she recognize me as her… dad?"
Nova answered without hesitation. "It is due to the mana signature embedded within her. She carries your mana at her core, which in human terms would be akin to sharing blood. This is not the case for other units. They recognize you as their master through programming and command hierarchy. But this one… bonded through mana. She is an exception."
The room went dead silent.
"…Wait," I said slowly, piecing things together. "Are there… other unfinished units like her?"
"Yes," Nova confirmed. "However, all production of such advanced humanoid prototypes has been suspended. These units have the potential to build independent personalities—and thus cannot be mass-produced or deployed without proper safeguards."
Everyone had been staring at me during the entire exchange, but now Saito cautiously raised his hand.
"Um… are you joking?" he asked.
The others chimed in behind him, eyes wide with disbelief. "Could someone please tell us what the hell you two were talking about?"
"…Right." I sighed again. "Sorry. I forgot that when I speak to Nova directly, to you guys, it's like I'm speaking in an alien language."
Saito then said, "I can understand the things you two were discussing, but how is it possible to make humanoids in this world?" His eyes were practically shining.
Then I said, "Yes, I did make some units of humanoid robots which are like humans. They are just robots which behave human-like. Though not completely human, most people won't notice it."
"And you manufactured how exactly??
Can the three of you care to explain to the rest of us too??" Yuri asked.
"Well, I guess… but make sure no one else finds out about it."
I then opened a gate to my alternate dimension. I had taken them only to the unit which manufactures humanoids, not the others. I am not planning to show them those things right now.Everyone was watching it like it was another world or an alien world. Well, they are practically in a different world right now, so you can say for them it's an alien world.
Saito then said, "So you're making humanoids, and that girl is a unit which was not supposed to be built because they have their own personalities, huh? And there are others like her?"
"Yes, there are."
Then Celestine asked, "Can you two explain what is happening?"
I turned to them, but Saito said, "You can say this place makes golems, and Ryo is trying to make a golem which resembles a human. But there was an accident which caused that girl to be born. She is like a golem."
"W-W-Wait, you are saying that this girl is a golem?! How is that possible?! Golems don't talk, and she's definitely a human child! She's nothing like those lumps of rocks or ores!" everyone shouted in unison.
"You can say that… but she is indeed a golem. Now she has developed her own personality, so she is not a mere golem anymore. You can say she is Ryo's daughter—through mana ties, if not by blood.And Ryo, now that she is born, you can't say she is an accident. You must take care of her… and the others too, which are not completed yet."
"I guess you are right," I said.
I asked Nova to complete the units which were incomplete and take this girl too—complete her as well. "But make sure no other units like her are made in the future."
"Yes, Master."
Then Nova guided us to the section where these units were being manufactured. While on the way, there were many research-type humanoids and other robots.
Then Self asked, "Where exactly is this place?"
"This is an alternate dimension. You can say it is a different world in your terms. Like… have you heard of realms? Like spirit realms?" Celestine asked.
"Yes, like those."
"Then what about that floating object near you?"
"Oh, that is Nova. You can say it's like… ummm… a spirit," Saito answered.
"Right, a spirit—at the same time, not a spirit."
"Then who are those people, or what are those things which are moving?"
"Those are different types of golems, you see."
Then we arrived, and there were 5 pods—one of them was empty.
"Maybe this one was the one she was manufactured in," I said.
I asked Nova to make sure her personality doesn't change.
"Yes, Master."
There are others like her in the pods, and all of them are girls apparently. I asked the cause, and Nova said that they were going to make male variants, but the operation was stopped.